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COPYRIGHT 

191S 

E. L DU PONT DE NEMOURS POWDER CO. 

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 

U. S. A. 



'aA406674 



JUL i2 i9J5 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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HAT the hunting instinct is inherent with man is an accepted 
psychological fact: that the sport of shooting, as a natural 
sequence, was the original great sport of mankind is readily 
proved. 

As evidence of this, when primeval man gave first expression to 
his thought, clothing it in the beautiful imagery of the nature-inspired 
myths, he created Apollo, god of the unerring bow — ^his darts, the 
sun-rays. 

From those earliest B. C. centuries to the present time, the art, 
literature, and history of every day and race have reflected the greatest 
pastime of man to be — the shoot. 

Its devotees have been legion — whether as mythological gods 
following the chase through the heavens; as warriors applying their 
skill to history -making purpose; as gentlemen with their hounds fol- 
lowing the lure of nature on a summer's day; as pioneers providing 
food and protection to their families; or, as workers seeking forgetful- 
ness and recreation in the exciting chase. 

Ancient Biblical history tells of a boy with his sling-shot using 
the skill, acquired in his favorite pastime, for the saving of his people; 
and, to-day, the same boyish instinct — to hit a mark with a bona 
fide or improvised sling-shot has made necessary citizen-protecting 
laws. 

The memoirs of every boyhood, as told by the man, has some 
history of his first shooting device, whether it was a nickel-by-nickel 
saved gun or pistol; or, lacking the nickels, some improvised substitute 
for satisfying his inherent love to shoot. 

But has this natural sport of man appealed as strongly to 
women ? 

That it originally and naturally did is suggested in the same 
primeval history of man — the myths — by the story of the fair Diana, 
goddess of the chase, her bow, the slender crescent of the moon. 
We are told that she accompanied her twin brother Apollo, the 
prince of archery, in all his adventures of the chase, speeding her 
moonbeam darts as unerringly as did her brother and comrade the 
sun rays. 

That the sportsmanship of the "fair crowned queen of the 
echoing chase" was tempered with womanly attributes, is shown 
by the fact that the beautiful Cynthia was not only huntress but guardian 
of wild beasts. 



PAGE ONE 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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A DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



MRS. AD. TOPPERWEIN 

THE BEST KNOWN AND MOST POPULAR WOMAN TRAPSHOOTER 

IN THE WORLD 






PAGE TWO 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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But, studying present day experience, it appears that the love of 
shooting has not been so strong with women, except, perhaps, in the 
more open lands. Where hounds have led to the hunt ladies mounted 
have ridden side by side with gentlemen in the chase; but this number 
has been, of course, limited. As a rule, when man has shouldered his 
gun, and gone forth at dawn on his way to a rabbit hunt, or, in quest 
of game birds, he has not had a Diana comradeship. 

Whether the reason for this has been that the twentieth century 
woman is lacking in sportsmanship; or, that she is perhaps gun-shy; 
or, that she has been debarred by custom and lack of opportunity from 
participation in the sport, is an open question. 

That the call of the shoot has been more insistent in man than in 
woman is evident, because prevented by circumstances from its enjoy- 
ment, man has made for himself the opportunity. During the last decade 
or two, the traps have taken, to a large extent, the place of the law- 
hampered, business-forbidding, and regret-bringing chase. It has been 
necessary for man to adapt his sport to the time demands of competitive 
business. He has been forced to crowd his recreation into after-business 
hours. Long hunting trips, except on rare occasions, have become im- 
practicable — yet the innate love of the shoot has remained. The logical 
answer has been — the traps. 

At the traps, the flying target across the great expanse of azure sky, 
the nerve-building air of the great open, the skilful judgment back of 
the eye and the finger on the trigger, the heart-quickening result — "lost" 
or "dead" — furnish all the essential attributes of the hunt. 

And more, trap shooting has developed from a field-shooting sub- 
stitute to a great international competitive "game." 

HARRIET WHITFORD. 



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PAGE THREE 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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THE 1913 GRAND AMERICAN HANDICAP TOURNAMENT 
N. C. R. GUN CLUB. DAYTON, OHIO 

THOUSANDS ANNUALLY VISIT AND ENTHUSE AT TRAPSHOOTING'S MOST 
SPECTACULAR EVENT 



^A r TRAPSHOOTI^ 



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FTER one has witnessed a "shoot" at a gun club, if asked to 
define trapshooting, he or she might well reply: "Trying to shoot 
clay targets with a shotgun." This is reducing the definition to 
the very "lowest terms." While this answer may seem common- 
place, the attempts to establish themselves as expert shooters offer 
many opportunities for reflection. 

The conclusion is inevitable, after a few trials, that however one 
may describe trapshooting, there is a fascination connected with it which 
makes it "the Sport Alluring." 

Like all recreations, trapshooting has its history. 

From the primitive performance of shooting at live birds released 
from the trap-box to the modem scientific sport of shooting at inanimate 
clay targets, is an interval of several years. In this period, trapshooting 
has been divested of its objectionable features. These have been replaced 
by others which not only increase and maintain interest of present devotees 
but attract new ones of influence and ability. 

Amongst the newly interested are the women. Although a few well- 
known women were pioneers in the sport several years ago, the Dianian 
era of trapshooting can be said to have started in 1913, when a few enthusi- 
astic women of Wilmington, Delaware, interested in the local gun club 
and its spectacular shooting programs, felt a desire to learn to shoot. 
As the start and growth of the Nemours Trapshooting Club of Wilmington 
will be duplicated in many other cities, its story is of practical value as 
well as interest. 



PAGE FOUR 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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This club, the first exclusively for women, was organized by Miss 
Harriet D. Hammond, of Wilmington, Delaware, in July, 1913. 

This club was fortunate in having for its chief promotor a woman 
familiar with the shotgun, and who had had actual experience as a shooter 
afield as well as at the traps. Her enthusiasm for shooting was never 
allowed to flag, as several brothers acted as good stimulators and excellent 
instructors. This is not an exceptional case, and may be found in many 
homes — particularly those located in the suburbs, or where the open 
country affords opportunity to use the shotgun. 



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A SQUAD OF NEMOURS SHOOTERS 



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Calling to her aid those who had been frequent visitors to the local 
gun club, they entered into the organization plans suggested by the 
modem Diana. Members were sought amongst business associates in 
the office, acquaintances in other lines of emplo5anent, amongst the sales 
people whose hours of employment permitted attendance at "shoots," 
and last but not least, the women in the home who would be especially 
benefited by trapshooting. 

Permission was readily obtained from the Du Pont Trapshooting 
Club to use its facilities one afternoon each week when the men were not 
shooting. The Du Pont Club has a membership of 600, hence it was 
not feasible to give up one of its traps to women on regular shooting 
days. 

The Nemours Trapshooting Club has been a success from the start 
and now has more than 60 members. 

The method of teaching women to shoot proved so practical and 



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PAGE FIVE 



««««^^*J 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



efficient, we will describe the various stages of development of a shooter 
from the initial "never-touched-a-gun" stage to that of the "crack shot," 
whose average compares favorably with that of her male friends. 



Fundamentals of Trapshooting 

In order to understand the method of training employed you must 
know how a shoot is operated. 

The shooting grounds are usually in a large open field with a good 
sky background, so the targets may be seen easily when in the air. 

The trap house is a low structure, half underground, in which is 
located the trap, trap boy and supply of targets. 



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Sixteen yards back of 
the trap house are the 
regular firing stations, five 
in number, located 10 feet 
apart in a circular sweep, 
with the trap house as the 
center. Other firing sta- 
tions are located in corre- 
sponding arcs at distances 
of 1 7 to 23 yards from the 
trap house. These are 
used only in handicap 
tournaments, when experts 
are "set back." 







T/iAP PUllSff 

LAYOUT FOR 
TRAPSHOOTING 



Back of the middle or 
No. 3 firing station is the 
puller, who springs the trap 
at the shooter's command. 

A target then flies out 
of the trap house for a dis- 
tance of 50 yards, in a 
direction controlled by the 
trap boy and usually un- 
known beforehand by the 
shooter, who endeavors 
quickly to locate the tar- 
get and shoot it, before it 
strikes the ground. 



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PAGE SIX 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 





Learning to Hold the Gun 

Each beginner 

at the Nemours 

Club is first 

taught how to 

hold the gun in shooting position. 

Fig. 1 shows a right side view of a 
shooter correctly holding a gun, Fig. 3 a left side 
view and Fig. 2 a front view. 

The butt of the gun should be held against 
the shoulder, inside the shoulder bone. It is 
wrong to hold it against the arm, which becomes 
bruised and lamed by the recoil. 

The left hand of a right-handed shooter is used 
to hold the gun. The arm should not be ex- 
tended straight, but should be crooked slightly 
at the elbow to per- 




A GOOD SHOOTING 
POSITION— RIGHT 

SIDE mit free swinging of 

the gun either to 

right or left. The right hand at the trigger 

guard also helps support the gun. The index 

finger is the trigger finger. It should never 

be on the trigger until the shooter is all set in 

shooting position, ready to call "Pull." 

The body should lean lightly forward, nearly 
facing the trap. 

The weight should be on the left foot pointed 
at the trap. The right foot should be back- 
ward and sideward about 12 inches. 

If the gun is held firmly against the shoulder, 
with the body in this position, the recoil will be 
absorbed by the body and arms, thus prevent- 
ing bruises and lameness. 







AfGOOD SHOOTING 

POSITION— LEFT 

SIDE 



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PAGE SEVEN 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 




ILLUSTRATING CORRECT POSITION FOR A RIGHT-HANDED SHOOTER. 
THE CORRECT POSITION FOR A LEFT-HANDED SHOOTER IS THE SAME, 
EXCEPT THE BUTT OF THE GUN IS HELD AGAINST THE LEFT SHOULDER 
AND THE POSITION OF THE ARMS AND FEET ARE REVERSED AS TO 
RIGHT AND LEFT. 

..„^.;.^. -. .5.^ M-^ s-i^g Gun 

First "break" or open the gun to be sure it is empty. No matter 
whether you already know it is empty, you must prove it to your instructor 
and to onlookers. 

This rule is vital, and must be followed to prevent the thousandth 
chance of error and accident. 

Now place the gun in correct shooting position. Lay the right cheek 
against the stock with the head leaning forward. 

Close the left eye. Look first at the rear end of the barrel (if a single 
barrel gun) or at point between the rear ends of the two barrels (if a 
double barrel gun). Then raise or lower the front end of the gun until 




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INSTRUCTIONS IN AIMING 



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PAGE EIGHT 




DIANA OF THE TRAPS 






the front sight lines up with the point at the rear previously sighted. 
With the gun held so the eye and front and rear sights are all in line, it 
is held properly to hit any object within range that lines up with the 
front sight and the eye. 

If a string were stretched between the object and the eye, it would 
touch both front and rear sights of the gun. 

CORRECT Atn^ 5IN&LE. BaRI^£L GUN 



OBJECT 



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FRONT SiCrHT nEfKH SI&HT EYE 

CORRECT AIM^ DOUBLE BARREL O-Uf^ 



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FRONT SI&HT 



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JNCORRECT AIM^ DOUBLE BARREL GUN 



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Sc^BCT FRONT 3IG-/-IT REAR Sl&HT 

NOT /N L/NE 

INCORRECT AIM, DOUBLE BARREL GUN 



EYE 



OBJECT 



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REAR 5IG-HT 
NO T /AJ L INE 
INCORRECT AIM^ 3ING-LE BARREL OUN 



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OBJECT 



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FRONT 3/OHT 



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NOT IN LINE ^'^^ 



To be sure that the beginner is sighting correctly, the instructor will 
be certain that the gun is empty, then stand about 10 feet in front of 
the beginner and tell her to aim the gun at his right eye. 

Learninp^ to Shoot StiO Objects 

For this purpose a light colored paper about a yard square should 
be tacked to the side of a dry goods box or on a board backing elevated 
on posts, as in the illustration. 

In the center of this sheet paint a black circle or paste on a dark 
piece of paper about the size of a regulation clay target, or better still, 
hang a clay target in the center on a tack. 

The shooter should stand about 30 yards in front of this sheet and 
aim an empty gun at the target, until she thinks she can line it up all 
right with the gun sights. 

Next load the gun. 

At this stage the beginner must be cautioned always to have the 
gun pointing downward and forward towards the target or trap house 
when loading, and never to load until in place at the firing station and 
until it is her turn to shoot. 






^ 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



The loaded gun should now be aimed at the target, lining up the 
sights as soon as possible, so as not to tire the arm. 

Then fire. Then put down the gun and examine the paper 
target to see where the shot hit. 
Such a target quickly proves 
whether or not the aim is right, 
and if the wind is blowing, how 
much allowance must be made 
for wind deflection of the shot 
charge. 

Shooting "Straight- 
away" Targets 

After the beginner has 
learned to load, aim and fire by 
using the stationary target, the 
next step is to try shooting at 
moving clay targets from the 
middle or No. 3 post on the 1 6- 
yard line. It is best at first to 
aim an empty gun at the top of 
the trap house, call "Pull" and 
follow the flying target, snap- 
ping the trigger when she be- 
lieves she could hit it. 

This will accustom her to 
lifting the gun up with the 
target, without altering the set of her face to the gun. 

The instructor must explain that once having secured her aim by 
lining up the sights with the top of the trap house, she must no longer 




STATIONARY TARGET 



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BEGINNERS WAITING THEIR TURNS 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 












look at the rear sight, as it cannot be seen sharply at the same time the 
distant target is seen. She must elevate or swing the gun without moving 
the face from its "aim-set." Then when she sees the target just above 
the front sight, the discharge of the gun will score a break provided the 
target is not too far out. 

Having followed a few with the empty gun, she should next try 
five or ten shots with a loaded gun, then rest, so as not to tire the arms, 
or bruise the shoulder on account of probable improper holding of the 
gun. 

This practice also enables the instructor to determine the length and 
drop of stock best adapted to each shooter, so she may select the gun 
that fits her. 

ijhooting at Unknown Angles 

After the beginner has broken five straightaway targets out of 
twenty-five shots, she should be permitted to try angle targets in a regular 
squad of five shooters. 

When shooting in a twenty-five target event each shooter fires 
twenty-five shells in all. The first shooter at No. I position shoots one 
shell, then the second shooter at No. 2 position shoots one, and so on, 
until all have shot five times. First shooter then moves to No. 2 position, 
second to No. 3, etc., fifth shooter moving up to No. I position. In this 
manner each shooter has five shots from each post. 

When the club has two traps a good plan is for each squad to shoot 
in two events; fifteen over one trap and ten over the other. This makes 
the shooting last longer, and adds variety and provides a short rest 
between events. 

In shooting angle targets the novice must be taught to allow not 
only for the elevation of the flying clay, but must also shoot slightly 
ahead of those flying to right or left, as the target progresses during the 
time required for the shot to travel from the gun to its path of flight. 



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FIRST TRIAL AT UNKNOWN ANGLES 



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PAGE ELEVEN 



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This shooting ahead is called "leading" the target. It calls for a quick 
swinging of the body from the waist. Most beginners are too slow, and 
by the time they have enough lead on the target it is falling so fast that 
their shot passes over it. The mastery of angle shots is the most difficult 
part of trapshooting, except shooting in a strong wind. 

Shooting in a Strong Wind 

The flying clays are easily affected by the wind. 

A wind blowing with the target holds it down, making it necessary 
to aim a little under it. A wind blowing towards the target elevates it. 
The shooter must then aim so as to cover the target with the muzzle of 
the gun. 

A side wind bends the target's path from its normal straight line 
to a curve, the extent of curvature depending on the strength of the 
wind. It then becomes necessary for the shooter to aim to the side of 
the target opposite the source of the wind. Thus, in a wind blowing 
from right to left, the aim should be slightly to the left of the target. 

In a gusty wind, the targets suddenly change their elevation or 
their path in a most disconcerting marmer. Fast shooting is the only 
means of off -setting this effect. Since the speed of the target is greatest 
near the trap house, it is not materially influenced by the wind until it 
has traveled 15 or 20 yards, hence if shot within that portion of its flight 
a hit is more likely than if shot at later. 

Most beginners shoot too slowly, hence practice in a strong wind is 
good for them, as it tends to quicken them. Experts are very quick in 
getting lined up with the target, and usually break it within 25 yards 
of the trap house. 



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SQUAD SHOOTING AT BALTIMORE 






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PAGE TWELVE 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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Nemours Club Shoot at Baltimore 

HE first public shoot of the Nemours Club was at Baltimore, Md., 
July 11, 1913, when two squads were invited as guests of the West 
Forest Park Country Club, to shoot for a silver trophy cup. The 
cuts show the trophy, the winner, the girls starting for Balti- 
more, and one of the squads shooting. 

After the shoot they were entertained at the home of a member 
of the club. The affair was most enjoyable, 
and the opportunity to shoot on other 
than home grounds greatly increased the 
girls' confidence. 




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MISS CARSON 


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THE TROPHY WINNER 


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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



Nemours Club at Eastern Handicap 

For the first time in the history of trapshooting, two full squads of 
women shot 100 shells in an Interstate Association Tournament, at the 
Eastern Handicap held July 17th, at Wilmington, Delaware. 



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TEN MEMBERS OF NEMOURS TRAPSHOOTING CLUB, WHO SHOT IN THE 
EASTERN HANDICAP, WILMINGTON, DEL., JULY 17, 1913 



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The women who participated in this shoot were, from left to right 
in the cut, Miss Hirst, Mrs, Hart, Miss Lannan, Miss Reilly, Miss 
Moody, Miss Hammond, Mrs. Joslyn, Miss Carson, Mrs. Clark, Mrs. 
Prettyman. 

Conscious of the fact that they were the "observed of all observers," 
it was to be expected that the scores made under the trying conditions 
obtaining would not be indicative of the shooter's real ability. Despite 
the mild attack of "stage fright," which seized the Dianas at the com- 
mencement of the event, from thirty to sixty targets were broken out 
of each hundred thrown. It should be said in explanation of the lower 
scores made that the shooters were required to shoot at regulation targets 
thrown at unknown angles. A majority of the Nemours shooters had 
had very little practice at "angle" shooting, and the last event of twenty 
targets was shot late in the afternoon in a failing light. 

Both spectators and trapshooters of the amateur and professional 
ranks encouraged the women shooters by frequently applauding a good 
shot. At the conclusion of the shoot, the Nemours delegation were the 
recipients of many compliments for their excellent shooting and "class" 
at the firing line. 



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PAGE FOURTEEN 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



Nemours Club at Philadelphia 




WILMINGTON WOMEN WIN SHOOTING CONTEST 






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Members of Nemours Trapshooting Club Carry Off 
Five of the Eight Prizes 

From Philadelphia North American, October 19, 1913. 



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EN Wilmington women, members of the Nemours Trapshooting 
Club, yesterday carried off the honors at the first "Ladies' Day" of 
the Fox Gun Club, at Cedar Park Lane and Ogontz Avenue. 
More than that, the more experienced of these women demon- 
strated that they can compete with men, and none took back records 
of which they need be ashamed. 

The Wilmington women captured five of the eight prizes offered. 
The contest for the highest actual score was reduced to a tie between 
Mrs. Elizabeth Moulton, of the Fox Club, and Miss H. Hammond, 
president of the Wilmington club. The latter won on the second attempt 
to break the tie. 

Prize winners were Miss Margaret Crosland, Mrs. Henry McKay 
and Mrs. Elizabeth Moulton, of this city. 

Other Wilmington women who took part in the shoot were Mrs. 
W. A. Joslyn, Miss J. P. Hearst, Miss M. V. Lannan, Mrs. 0. B. Clarke, 
Miss B. V. Carson, Miss M. Woodman, Mrs. Franklin W. Wilson, Miss 
M. Moody and Miss C. Gentieu. Among the women members of the 
Fox Club with whom they competed were Mrs. Henry McKay, Miss 
M. C. Mullen, Mrs. A. Frailey, Mrs. William Maracon and Mrs. A. R. 
Cox. 



^^^^ 



PAGE FIFTEEN 



^^5^^5^^S^^5^^5^^^^5! 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



The scores of the women for the first and second events, twenty-five 
shots each, follow: 



ss B. V. Carson 14 

ss J. P. Hirst 11 

W. A. Joslyn 17 

Elizabeth Moulton 19 

Henry McKay 6 

0. B. Clarke 16 

H. D. Hammond 19 

F. W. Wilson 12 

M. E. Mullen 5 

M. V. Moody 12 

C. E. Gentieu 8 

M. V. Lannon 12 

M. R. Woodman 14 

ss M. Crosland 12 



Mrs. C. A. Prettyman. 





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THE WOMEN'S SHOOTING AROUSED GREAT INTEREST 

Following the shoot a dinner was given to the visitors at the Hotel 
Hanover in the evening, a novel feature of which was the following: 



GREEN FUSE 



MENU 

BLUE ROCKS 

WET WEATHER 



NUMBER FOUR SHOT 
CREOLE 



BAKED SEA TROUT 

ROAST LOST BIRD— GIBLET SAUCE 

BALLISTITE AU TENDERLOIN 

MASHED POTATOES CARTRIDGES A LA WHITE 

BROKEN TARGETS MUSTARD SEED GREEN 

NEMOURS CLUB SPECIAL 

WADS A LA SWEET CREAM CHEESE 

RAIN 



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PAGE SIXTEEN 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 








ome Practice With the Du Pont Hand Trap 

OW we all admire the expert woman shot who confidently approaches 

the traps and without hesitation or self -consciousness takes her 

place at the firing line. She is always ready to shoot when it 

comes her turn, pays strict attention to her own affairs, and you 

can just make up your mind when she steps up to her position, that she 

can break a lot of her targets. 

We often wonder how these shooters can take things so easily and 
how they become so expert, for we realize that it takes a lot of practice 
to become expert at anything. We know that most women are rather 
timid about making their first appearance at a public trap, and we wonder 
how they have gotten the necessary practice that makes them so easy 
in manner and so expert in shooting. The problem is easily solved and 
the answer is such a simple one that we wonder why we did not know 
of its solution long ago. With a hand trap, which is a light affair weigh- 
ing only seven pounds, and which anyone can operate, one may obtain 
all the trapshooting practice she desires. With a hand trap two girls 
can enjoy the sport of trapshooting and get just as good practice as 
they could obtain at a regular gun club. Whenever it suits their con- 
venience they can hunt an open field where it will be perfectly safe for 
them to shoot, take the small brother along to carry the trap and shells 
for them, and get just the best I^ind of practice at shooting the elusive 
clays. The blue rocks and shells can be packed in a basket and the 
hand trap has a neat little case of its own that anyone might be proud 
to carry. 

The targets can be thrown easily to accommodate the new shooter, 
giving her an opportunity of making a thorough study of the game and 



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PAGE SEVENTEEN 



hIANA OF THE TRAPS 



the right idea of following and leading her "birds." After she becomes 
more expert her companion can throw more difficult targets, and with 
practice she will become so accustomed to shooting at targets thrown 
from all possible angles and positions that she will never feel at a loss 
when she visits the local trapshooting club and takes her place at the 
firing line with the male experts of the game. No fear of her being slow 
and holding the squad back. She has had so much practice at finding 
her targets quickly that she shoots in better time than many of the men 
shooters, who have not had the advantage of home practice and who 




WITH A HAND TRAP TWO GIRLS CAN ENJOY THE SPORT OF TRAP- 
SHOOTING AND GET JUST AS GOOD PRACTICE AS THEY 
COULD OBTAIN AT A REGULAR GUN CLUB 



PAGE EIGHTEEN 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 




YOUNG BROTHER WILL BE GLAD TO ACT AS TRAP BOY 

have to depend upon the practice they get one afternoon a week at the 
gun club. 

If one is fortunate enough to have an automobile at her disposal 
she will find a hand trap party an ideal way of entertaining her friends. 
A ride out in the country, where the air is fresh and wholesome, is a 
pleasure in itself, and when you combine it with the fun of shooting blue 
rocks thrown from a hand trap, you have the satisfaction of knowing 
that you are able to give your friends a taste of one of the best sports 
in the world and one that once enjoyed, will never be forgotten, for 






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PAGE NINETEEN 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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AN AUTOMOBILE AND A HAND TRAP FORM A SPLENDID 
COMBINATION FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES 

trapshooting is very contagious, and when an onlooker sees how much 
fun and pleasure her friends get from the game she, too, becomes fascinated 
and enthusiastic about the sport and wants to try her hand at the flying 
clays. 

The hand trap as a means of home practice in trapshooting, offers 
an opportunity long sought by the trapshooting novice as well as the 
most enthusiastic expert. 

Country Shoot and Dance 

A friend of the Nemours Club, living in the country, invited the 
members to an afternoon shoot at his home to be followed by a basket 
dinner and informal dance, which occasion proved very enjoyable. 

An expert trap was set up in a nearby field, with an old "stone-boat" 






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PAGE TWENTY 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



onnnannH 



and some planks as a protective screen. Stakes capped with wood squares 
were driven into the ground 16 yards from the trap to serve as shooting 
stations and stands for shell boxes. Twenty women shot twenty-five 
shells each, and made excellent scores despite a hail storm and poor light. 

The awarding of a number of "joke" prizes created much merri- 
ment. Then dinner was served to the shooters and their male escorts 
from the abundant supplies their baskets disclosed, after which all danced 
to the music of a player-piano. 

The evening was characterized by the real fun and informality 
common to country parties, and all had such a good time, that there 
have been several repetitions of the affair. 







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Nemours Club Prizes and Trophies 

Realizing the desirability of prizes to stimulate interest and encourage 
good shooting, the officers of the Nemours Club requested donations of 
prizes and money to buy prizes, from friends and local sporting goods 
dealers and other merchants. 

Several private parties and the Fox and Marlin Gun Companies 
donated shotguns — eight in all. These were the first prizes because most 
needed, as but few of the girls owned guns. 

Six of the guns were awarded to the first six girls breaking fifteen 
out of twenty-five targets, the contestants being permitted to use the 
prize guns in the meantime. The first gun was won in a few weeks. 



PAGE TWENTY-ONE 




DIANA OF THE TRAPS 




In the interim various weekly prizes from 50 cents to $2.00 in value 
were shot for, as well as some valued trophies. 

In order to keep down the shooting expenses, the first twenty -five 
shots of each shooter counted in all prize competitions. 



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How to Organize a Trapshooting Club 

First, send us the names of women friends whom you have already 
interested, and we will send to each a copy of this book. 

Second, ask us to send you our booklets. The Sport Alluring, and 
Gun Club Organization and House Plans. 

We will endeavor in every way to assist you in starting the club and 
making it a success. 

If there is no men's club or trap shooting layout in your vicinity, 
please inform us, and we will advise you as to the best arrangements to 
make. 

Address all letters to Trapshooting Department, Du Pont Powder 
Co., Wilmington, Del., where they will receive prompt and careful atten- 
tion. 

Du Pont Powder Company Prize Stories 

To stimulate the interest of women in trapshooting, the E. I. du Pont 
de Nemours Powder Company offered a first prize of $50.00, and a second 
of $25.00 for the best stories by women trapshooters, on trapshooting 
for women. 

The first prize was awarded to Jennie P. Hirst, of Wilmington, Del., 
and the second to Mrs. Martha Dewey, of Hazel Green, Wis. 

The judges were Caspar Whitney, the famous sporting editor, and 
Samuel Wesley Long, special writer of sporting articles. 

The average of all the articles was so high that the judges experi- 
enced difficulty in selecting the winners, and the Du Pont Company 
decided to buy and publish all of them in this booklet. 

By reading all of them, one gains a realistic impression of trap- 
shooting from the feminine viewpoint. We believe these recitals of 
personal experiences justify our faith in the great future of trapshooting 
among women. We recommend the careful reading of all of them by 
women considering taking up this sport. 






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PAGE TWENTY-TWO 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



TRAPSHOOTING FROM A WOMAN'S 
VIEWPOINT 




MISS J. P. HIRST 




JENNIE P. HIRST. Wilmington, Del. 



HERE is something of the primitive in 
every normal human being — we love 
to fight for fight's sake, we love to 
conquer obstacles, to overcome diffi- 
culties, and the stronger the resistance we have 
to meet, the keener the delight of conquest. 
For that reason games of skill have been invented and man, 
tiring quickly of what is easily accomplished or obtained, 
is ever seeking new fields to conquer. 

Though new to many of the devotees of out-of-door 
sports, trapshooting is rapidly coming to the front as a 
national recreation. It is typically an American sport in 
that Americans as a nation have an inborn desire to use 
firearms — the small boy's (or even girl's) affection for a 
pistol or anything that looks like one and will make a noise 
— is proof of that. Perhaps it's the old soldier ancestry 
of most of us, or maybe just the remnant of the primitive. 

Sometimes these elemental forces are influenced by our 
surroundings. If you travel with me for just a little while 
perhaps you'll come to this conclusion — at any rate you'll 
see how trapshooting made converts of us all. 

Do you know the haunts of the Brandywine in the 
neighborhood of Wilmington? And have you ever gone 
over the old covered bridge and wandered around through 
the quaint little village of Rising Sun? Our way to the 
Gun Club leads us through it, and, in contemplation of the 
picture from the old covered bridge, we might almost imagine 
ourselves in another country. It's right here, I think, that 
the primitive makes itself felt in the blood. Indian loves 
and conquests have had their setting here, our forefathers 
fought and struggled and conquered here, and the whole 



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place is replete with history and folk-lore. 







THE OLD COVERED BRIDGE ON THE ROAD TO THE CLUB 



PAGE TWENTY-THREE 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



We could muse for hours, but right in harmony with our thoughts comes a sound 
that awakens us to action — the report of a shot. It may be simply a test at the Ballistic 
Station or it may be some of our Gun Club 
members early "on the job," so we wake from 
our dreams of war and conquest to hurry into 
actual battle. 

Our first lesson is in the handling of the 
gun, with the utmost care taught and exhibited. 

The proper and careful handling of fire- 
arms is something with which every woman 
should be familiar, for one never knows when 
the knowledge may be of use, but by far too 
many of us are "afraid of the sight of a gun." 

The first natural fear and timidity over- 
come, we begin to realize the importance of 
concentration, and this is one requirement that 
makes the sport so beneficial. One of our num- 
ber, the mother of a considerable little brood, 
comes week after week for the sheer delight of 
holding a gun and "shooting at something," 
and says that the entire change of thought in 
the great out-of-doors drives duties and tares 

from her mind and results at night in sleep of a kind to which she has long been a stranger. 
We all take home with us healthy appetites and uplifted spirits that come from the walk 
in the open air, and the hour or so spent on the hills in the absorbing exercise, and the 
vision of the trees and green fields stays with us for days. 

Though success may have seemed to come slowly to some of us, each week our deter- 
mination grew to do something the next time — to fight and conquer the swiftly-flying, 
tantalizing birds — till one happy time our perseverance was rewarded by ten of us being 
considered proficient enough to make our appearance in a neighboring city — the first 
time, I believe, that two complete squads of women ever took part in a trapshooting tourna- 
ment. 




LOADING 

THE GUN 

AT THE 

FIRING 

STATION 



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MRS. TOPPERWEIN, THE FAMOUS WOMAN SHOT. IS FOURTH FROM LEFT 
OF GROUP OF SHOOTERS IN EASTERN HANDICAP 



PAGE TWENTY-FOUR 



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Later on we again appeared in public, thii 
time in the Eastern Handicap in Wilmington, 
and again held up our end of the great game. 
It has been argued with some of us, and 
the sentiment may be rather prevalent, that trapshooting 
is hardly a fitting pastime for a lady, that our finer sen- 
sibilities must ultimately suffer from the promiscuous 
mingling with men, this probably with an erroneous idea 
of the class of men who follow trapshooting. It is true it 
is democratic, in that it has among its followers all classes 
of people, but it is generally conceded by those who are 
qualified to judge to be a "gentlemanly" sport, clean 
and fair, and is rapidly becoming a feature of some of 
the most exclusive country clubs of the country. 

And as for our womanliness being impaired, it speaks 
well for us, I think, that at Baltimore and at the Eastern 
Handicap, the quality about Mrs. A. Topperwein (the 
champion woman shot of the world), that captivated and 
charmed us all was not so much her wonderful shooting 
as her wholesome and unaffected womanliness. The more 
we mingled with her, the more we were convinced that if 
a woman whose work threw her so constantly with men 
could keep her heart and life so entirely womanly, our 
association with the right kind of men, such as so far it has 
been our good fortune to meet, should only serve to broaden 
us, and the woman element in the sport should tend to 
give it a higher tone. 

The other day an Ejiglish peer, in awarding the sports' 

\/iDC V Dii cv prizes to some girl champions of a college near London, 

MKo. L. L. KILLY condemned the selfish, almost rude, seeking for first place 

Mother of a Family of Ten, prevalent in most sports. In trapshooting the ethics of 

is an Ardent Devotee the sport are always emphasized, and courtesy to others 

of the Sport is one of the first principles, though this need not prevent 

a spirit of friendly rivalry in the harmless but exciting 

warfare. There is something, too, in learning to control the unladylike desire to use — well, 

emphatic expletives and the ladylike inclination to cry when the birds are particularly 

stubborn, and learning to take it all like a man, or a gentleman, rather, as part of the 

game. 




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GENERAL VIEW, DU PONT TRAPSHOOTING CLUB 



PACE TWENTY-FIVE 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 




TRAPSHOOTING IS THE IDEAL SPORT FOR WOMEN 

It is the only sport where she meets 
man on equal ground — largely due to the 
fact that muscular power and physical 
ability play little or no part in results. 
Precision in aim, skill in following or 
leading the birds and judgment in firing 
are required. These and other valuable 
qualities, such as concentration, decision, accuracy, steadiness 
of nerve, control, coolness, and self-confidence, are all de- 
veloped and encouraged. 

But to me one of the greatest arguments in favor of 
trapshooting is the protection of game. I can sympathize 
with the dear, old, western lady who, reading of Mrs. Topper- 
wein's wonderful marksmanship in bringing down the "Blue 
Rock Pigeons," wrote her to the effect that while she 
appreciated her skill, she thought her abilities might be put 
to better use than destroying poor, helpless birds. 

There is some satisfaction, then, in knowing that the 
victim of your prowess is not a timid hare, a bright-eyed 
squirrel, a feathered creature of the air, but a lifeless, saucer- 
shaped composition of tar and river silt, commonly called 
a "clay pigeon" — lifeless, yes, but tantalizingly lifelike 
enough in its swift and uncertain flight to challenge every 
drop of red blood in your body. 

The "sport alluring" it has been called, and alluring 
is the only word that seems to describe it. Enticing, 
fascinating, tempting, it gets in the blood, calling us on and 
on to conquer further — as one of our girls puts it: "If 
you're not breaking any, you want to keep on till you do, 
then when you break one, you're perfectly wild to break 

more" — and Oh, the satisfaction when you get to the point MISS AMY SCHOFIELD 
where you can make a score worth while and know you Precision in Aim and Skill 
really can shoot. On one of the days of the Eastern Handi- in Following is Essential 
cap, when I happened to be among the spectators, a Quaker to Success 

gentleman of my acquaintance leaned over through the crowd 

and, touching me on the shoulder, said: "I almost wish I could shoot, doesn't thee?" 
It didn't occur to me then to be surprised at this new type of wishbone in the non-militant 
Friend — every other thought was lost in the pride (pKirdonable, I hope) of my quick 
reply, "/ can." 

And so might any of us have answered, for we are an enthusiastic little army of "shoot- 
resses," believing that what others have done we can do, and foreseeing a great future 
for trapshooting among women. 

A proficient trapshooter is the possessor of a quick and intent mind and muscles work- 
ing in harmony. The healthful exercise, congenial companionship and complete forgetful- 
ness of all cares afford real relaxation without the physical exhaustion that comes from 
so many other sports — I call it "the sport that cheers but doesn't enervate." 

It is a clean sport in every sense of the word ; the smokeless powder makes it so physi- 
cally. A woman may go to the traps and shoot for a while and go on her way as fresh and 
dainty as she started, but if she wishes to become really proficient she is wise if she dons 
loose garments that allow her arms free play. It is a clean sport morally — the environment 
is always Nature's own and usually her best. There is absolutely no chance for unfairness 
in any way. There can be no discrimination shown in the way the birds fly — that's 
mechanically governed; the judge announces the "dead" or "lost" before the eyes and 
to the ears of yourself and all spectators. There is just enough of the element of chance 
to give an exciting interest and to train the mind still further to allow for all influences 
and conditions. It not infrequently happens that the one having the highest score one 
week has the lowest another, and vice cersa — this due to some error in judgment or de- 
cision or some trick of wind or flight of "birds." 

It's an all-the-year-round sport, not dependent on seasons or weather; and if you're 
anywhere near a trap you know you can shoot whenever you want; or, if not near a regu- 
lation trap, you can use a hand trap. 



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PAGE TWENTY-SIX 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



TRAPSHOOTING FROM A WOMAN'S 
VIEWPOINT 



By MARTHA E. DEWEY, Hazel Green, Wis. 



In outdoor sports, as well as 
indoors, a woman loves and 
admires the best there is in the 
world. 

She loves the open forest 
and stream; the mountains and 
surf appeal to her. 

She loves every flower that 
blooms in her pathway and every 
song bird that has left the wild 
and makes its home with us. 

She enjoys the pleasure of 
outdoor recreation in which she 
can participate and not be only 
a spectator. 

She wishes to remain young 
and be in sympathy with her own 
family circle and the coterie of 
friends who gather at her home. 

A woman's viewpoint is sub- 
ject to her environment. Many 
of our outdoor pastimes are too 
strenuous for a woman. 

Trapshooting for a woman is 
ideal, and, at your invitation and 
suggestion, I will tell you why. 

As a child I often drove my 
father in southern Wisconsin. 



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MARTHA E. DEWEY 



I saw him shoot on the uplands and along the sloughs of the Mississippi River. 

I realize now, but I did not then, what a splendid field shot he was. 

I watched him and admired him. He was a success. 

To-day becomes yesterday, to-morrow is to-day. The responsibilities of life and 
living were mine, but over it all and above all, there is the memory of one who excelled. 

Several years ago, when visiting in the Middle West, I was invited by friends to join 
them and go to the lakes. 

It was October. The Indian summer haze blended with the tawny sides of the hills. 

The wild fowl were going south. 

I accepted their invitation. They gave me a light gun and general instructions. 

Next morning, before dawn, I was afloat on the lake. There was a whir of wild wings 
while it was yet dark. The east reddened. We waited. 

Somewhere out of the sky there came what looked to me like a little black meteor. 

"Hold ahead!" was the command. I tried to "hold ahead" and pulled. 

There was a sharp, resilient report and echo over the sedges and every wild fowl that 
had sought shelter and rejxjse on that lake was in the air. That shot is a reminiscence. 
It was, from a hunter's standpoint, a success. I would not do it again for I love every 
bird that in its flight gives us a live picture and gladdens the sky. 

I confess I burned powder that morning, but there are ducks galore which my trailing 
shot failed to find. 

I said when I returned to the camp ground, I would learn to shoot but I would do 
my shooting at inanimate targets. 

I returned to my home in Wisconsin. My brother and nephew are members of the 
gun club; they invited me to join them. They are amateurs but shoot above the "ninety" 
mark. They taught me how to shoot. Their grounds are on the brow of a hill. In the 
valley, a trout stream runs riot on the first leg of its journey in search for the sea. 






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PAGE TWENTY-SEVEN 




DIANA OF THE TRAPS 




THE INEXPENSIVE LAYOUT WHERE MRS. DEWEY SHOT 

Trapshooting to its votaries is as far ahead of ordinary sports, in which a woman 
can join, as an electric light is ahead of a tallow dip. It is simply your viewpoint. 

If you hit, it's history; if you miss, it's mystery. 

There are more "mysteries" with women shooting at the trap than "histories." There 
would be more history if women were more often on the firing line. 

The world loves a good lover — at the trap, a good loser. It is easier to lose than to 
win, but the generous rivalry, the courtesy extended, makes nerves vibrant and keeps 
you in touch with yourself. 

After the day is done and you have done your best, you may find a reflection of clover 
blossoms in your cheeks and a suggestion of the wind flower in your eye when you say to 
your friend: "Good night and pleasant dreeuns." 

Take your gun and go with your home folks and friends and be with them at the traps. 
Teach them there is no danger in a gun if pointed the right way. Teach them skill, poise, 
finesse. Add to their general accomplishments. 

Our boys and girls will soon be men and women and take our places. Teach them 
the love of Nature. 

Give them general instructions. Tell them to study the wind, sometimes to hold a 
little ahead, sometimes a little under, but tell them to hold close to the target. They will 
make good. 

The clear air, the quick pull, the flying target, a shattered disc and a good score makes 
life worth the living. 

Trapshooting brings you to the test of a good eye, quick thought, steady nerves and 
the telling of "how I missed my last bird." It brings the comradeship of friends, when 
the day is done, dinner served, stories told, and songs sung. 

I enjoy it, for my boys can be taught under the guidance of skilled friends how to 
excel. My daughters can become proficient and self-reliant. I have never attended a 
professional meet. I am simply an amateur. 

I enjoy it, for over the blue-grass field there is no live bird to feel the cruelty of a storm 
of shot. 

It appeals to me, for on the sky-line there is only an illusive target hurrying to get 
out of the way. There is the crack of your gun trying to stop it. 

One who loves the sport could write a book on trapshooting. An expert, a classic; 
an amateur writes as she shoots. 



WHY I TOOK UP TRAPSHOOTING 

By HARRIET D. HAMMOND, Wilmington, Del. 

Miss Hammond prefaced her article with references to juvenile 
experiences with .22 caliber rifle, bullet moulding with the brothers' aid, 
admiration for father's, brothers' and neighbors' skill with shotgun and 
rifle and her temporary delight during an Adirondack vacation, when 
her gun was the cause of one less deer. She says: 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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" I was very much delighted at first. Gradually 
I began to think that taking the life of such a beau- 
tiful creature was not so very creditable to a woman 
— especially when we were recognized as being the 
'gentler sex.' Then it was that I resolved never to handle a 
gun again. 

"But when one has the memories of pleasant days with 
the gun revived by a visit to an active gun club, and sees 
there the men and women engaged in shooting at lifeless 
targets, the old desire to do likewise is quite irresistible. 

"When I received an invitation to attend the 'Eastern 
Handicap' at the Du Pont Trapshooting Club of Wilming- 
ton, Delaware, I was exceedingly pleased. The day was 
ideal for shooting — a clear sky, a soft summer breeze came 
across the field and occasionally a fitful zephyr gave to a 
soaring target an incentive to jump, much to the chagrin of 
the shooter on the firing line. Fascinated beyond expecta- 
tion, I resolved to take up the sport. But for the fact that 
entries were beyond my pocket-book, I verily believe I'd have 
insisted that my brother enter my name so I could shoot. 
"At the conclusion of the program I was more than ever 
convinced that in trapshooting there was sport for shooters 
minus all the disturbing elements associated with field and 
marsh gunning expeditions. My other brothers fffomptly 
took me in hand and gave me many points about handling 
the gun and suggestions concerning trapshooting. 

" I must confess that when I started out I had visions 
of a sore arm and shoulder, for I fully expected my gun to 
'kick.' My brother, who taught me to shoot, assured me, 
however, that I would not feel any recoil if I handled my 
gun properly and I very soon learned that he was right. I 
never have a mark on my shoulder, do not get the least bit 
tired, and find trapshooting the most enjoyable thing I have ever undertaken in the way 
of sport. 

"Some people argue that trapshooting is a very expensive sport and they are afraid 
to enter into it. If that were so I would be obliged to give it up, for I am not in a position 
to take up anything that calls for much expense. I find I can get a great deal of pleasure 
out of trapshooting without spending much money, and I think, if you will follow my 
plan you will agree with me that it is no more expensive to shoot clay pigeons on a Saturday 




MISS HARRIET D. 
HAMMOND 









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AS A CHILD MISS HAMMOND SHOT A RIFLE 



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PAGE TWENTY-NINE 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 









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MISS HAMMOND'S FIRST TRIAL OF TRAPSHOOTING 

afternoon than it is to go downtown shopping. Nine women out of ten who go shopping 
Saturday afternoons bring home a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers for Sunday. 
Now I can get fifty shells for my twenty-gauge gun, for very little more than I would pay 
for a box of chocolates, and I am better off than if I indulged in sweets. 

"I strongly recommend trapshooting to women, for I feel it will do much toward 
developing us, and make us better able to cope with the affairs of life. 

"Outdoor sport is increasing in popularity, and surely there is no more healthful 
sport than trapshooting. It will make us fearless and ambitious, quick and accurate. 
Taking us as a whole, we are apt to do things nervously and hurriedly instead of thinking 
them over. Trapshooting will help us overcome this for, before we call 'Pull,' we must 
take time to get into the right position (everything depends upon the right position), get 
a steady aim, and feel sure of the target as it flies from the trap. 

" If we learn to shoot accurately, it will tend to make us use better judgment in every- 
thing we do. 

"Trapshooting is the best nerve tonic I know of, and it has the advantage over most out- 
door sports, as it not only steadies the nerves, but trains the eye and makes one think quickly. 

" I heard of a woman not long ago who, left at home by herself in the country, scared 
burglars away with her shotgun. When we consider the number of cases of nervous pros- 
tration reported in the daily papers of women who have been frightened in this way, it 
makes us wonder why more women do not learn to shoot. 

"It is very possible that women will not take up shooting for the express purpose 
of being able at some time to scare away burglars, but if they learn the trapshooting game, 
they will not only derive a great deal of pleasure from it, but they will become so familiar 
with a gun that they will be able to pick one up at any time and defend themselves with 
it. They are fast overcoming their nervousness and fear of firearms, and I fully believe 
it will only be a matter of a very short time when trapshooting will be a favorite sport 
among women throughout the country." 

Doctor's Wife an Expert Shooter 

The Wyoming Gun Club, of Wyoming, N. Y., has among its mem- 
bers Mrs. E. B. Belknap, whose husband is a lover of the gun. Naturally, 
he was delighted when Mrs. Belknap expressed herself as being desirous 
of learning how to shoot. How well she succeeded we may ascertain from 
the article she submitted, entitled: "Why I Took Up Trap Shooting." 

"As my husband was a lover of a gun, I naturally became interested, and before I 
knew it we were shooting at large, still targets to see who was ' best.' Then large, moving 




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PAGE THIRTY 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



objects were thrown into the air and shot at, and, to my surprise, I often came out ahead. 
Though I think now it was planned that way, that I might not become discouraged. 

"After I had grown familiar with the handling of the gun, we spent many a day in 
the open, sometimes bringing home a rabbit or two; or, perhaps, a pheasant. All this 
time I grew more enthusiastic — my cheeks took on a brighter glow; I became better natured; 
and life took on a different aspect. 

"Others became interested in our good times, and a gun club was formed. To-day 
the club numbers forty members. Every year we hold a tournament. In 1912, the writer 
won the championship pin. 

"With the disappearance of the wasp-like waist, dull compelxion, and the house- 
plant nervous system of the woman of the past generation, and a slow but sure return 
to the strong physical physique so faithfully portrayed by the ancient Greeks, and admired 
by all in the statue Venus de Medici, comes the necessity of an outdoor sport for woman 
which can be enjoyed the year round. Swimming, rowing, fishing, camping, golf and 
tennis all have their limitations owing principally to the weather. 

"Indoor sports for the up-to-date, wide-awake woman (excepting in a limited manner), 
are to be tabooed. Let there be fewer pink teas, bridge and whist parties where air is foul 
and rooms over-heated, the inevitable results of which are headache, bad temper, and 
high-strung nerves. A condition which, to one who has braved the weather and felt the 
exhilarating effects of Nature's best of tonics, is indeed deplorable. 

"Life in the open cannot be too strongly advocated, both from a physical and a moral 
standpoint. One cannot be very bad, either man or woman, and have in their hearts a 
love for sunshine and nature. 

"Outdoor life has become, instead of a mere pastime for those who are over-burdened 
with an abundance of time, a necessity to the woman whose life is crowded too full of work, 
which, day after day, revolves with the regularity of the wheels of a clock. Though she 
may love her work it becomes, at times, a monotonous task and mole-hills loom into moun- 
tains. It is then high time to call a halt and consider the results of a too strenuous life. 
Choose some outdoor sport best suited to your nature ; make some one thing your hobby. Put 
your life into it. Be its master and note the results. No better prophylaxis and cure than this. 

"To one who has the necessary health and strength and a desire to participate in the 
hard outdoor sports, consider that of trapshooting — a sport fast coming to the front. A 
sport which may be pursued the year around regardless of climatic conditions. A sport 
in itself clean, healthful, bringing into action every nevre and muscle, demanding close 
attention, keen perception and an unlimited amount of perseverance. Altogether a sport 
highly commendable in every respect. It is only a question of time when to be a skilled 
markswoman will be numbered among the latest achievements. And not only will it be 
a recreative sport, but a step toward woman's independence. 

"The woman having an indulgent brother, father or husband interested in the spxirt 
and appreciating the fact that a woman's life is naturally confining, stands a better chance 
of getting into the game. With their advice and example, and watchfulness on her part, a 
woman with the requisite constitution and proper dress may take her first lesson in trapshooting. 

"First of all, become familiar with your gun. Know its parts. Be able to tell the 
muzzle from the fore-end — presupposing that the gun properly fits you — that the stock 




MRS. BELKNAP SHOOTING AT THE PERRY (N. Y.) GUN CLUB 



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PAGE THIRTY-ONE 




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MRS. BELKNAP SHOOTING AT THE WYOMlNOWW^GUN CLUB 

is neither too short nor too long — that it is not unnecessarily heavy. Many shooters are 
advocating a sixteen-gauge gun, it being lighter and easier to handle. For myself, I prefer 
the ordinary twelve-gauge, double-barrel gun of any reputable make. Do not attempt 
to learn to shoot with some old gun that has long been relegated to the attic and which 
may shoot both ways. After you have mastered the parts, learn to properly handle it. 
Under no circumstances, whether loaded or not, ever aim it toward anyone. 

"Having learned to handle your gun with ease and confidence, begin your shooting 
by aiming at large, still targets; always hold the gun tight to the shoulder; gradually 
work up to large, slow moving objects. Last but not least, 
we come to the clay pigeons. These targets are about the 
size of a saucer and thrown into the air some 20 or 30 feet 
by means of automatic traps especially equipped for the 
purpose. Here you will find it is practice that counts. Do 
not be discouraged if you do not break them all the first few 
times. Unlike all other sports, there are no points to gain. 
Each one is for himself. And whether you break seventy-five 
per cent, or eighty per cent., the sport is just as keen. The 
old adage ' Practice makes perfect ' is as true here as else- 
where, though no one can continuously break them all." 

Mrs. Belknap's ability as a trapshooter 

is further emphasized by the fact that the 

records of the Wyoming Gun Club show 

that she was the winner of the Club's Aimual 

Championship in the year 1908. 

In reading Mrs. Belknap's version of trap- 
shooting, the reader has doubtless been im- 
pressed with the decisive way she speaks of the 
physical and mental benefits arising from partic- 
MRS. E. B. BELKNAP ipation in this ideal outdoor sport. 










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PAGE THIRTY-TWO 



TRAPSHOOTING FROM A WOMAN'S 
VIEWPOINT 



((3) 




By RUTH ALEXANDER PEPPLE. Erie, Kan. 

On the 28th of June, at Monmouth, in the year 1778, when MoUie Pitcher, unmindful 
of the flying shot and shell, of the turmoil and tribulation surrounding her, took a firm 
stand at the breech of her martyred husband's cannon and helped save the day for the 
American forces — littlt thought she that her brave act established a precedent to be fol- 
lowed far down through the years 
to come by women of the nation she 
had so gloriously assisted. 

When the pioneer women of the 
wilderness stood beside their hus- 
bands at the loopholes of the block 
houses and rammed charge after charge into the emptied 
muzzles of the old flint-locks, little thought they that the 
day would come when warfare would be forgotten, when 
flint-locks and muzzle-loaders would give way to more 
efficient and symmetrical arms and that they would be 
manipulated by women, not in times of war, but in times 
of peace. I refer to women of to-day, who, having an in- 
herent love for out-of-door recreation with the gun, have 
also had the moral courage and stamina to break loose 
from conventionalities and frivolities and lead the life of 
the even-balanced, calm and steady-nerved individual. 
In the years just past, writers seemingly took delight in 
instilling into the minds of readers the valor of "the man 
behind the gun." Later on it remained for a girl from 
Kansas to mitigate this somewhat, and tell in verse how 
all that has been gained by our countrymen, by our sires 
and soldiers, was accomplished by the courage of "the 
woman behind the man behind the gun"; and now, as 
time flies on, it remains for the few of us who have taken 
this stand, although not militant, to compete with men on 
an equal basis and thereby demonstrate to the seemingly 
indifferent public why the ladies of to-day, as well as fathers, 
husbands and brothers, should stand behind the gun, and 
not by proxy. 
First of all, the one thing in this life to be prized above all others, above wealth, above 
lofty honor and glory — the easiest to slip away and the hardest to regain, is health. Only 
to those who have been in society, as the term in now generally accepted, or those who 
have been onlookers, can the great amount of harm done by living the strenuous social 
life be realized. 

The endless bustle and confusion attendant upon the woman in society is ever accom- 
panied by a waste of nerve energy that, could its ravages upon the system be realized, 
would be appalling. 

Take in contrast the outdoor woman. The very title brings to us a breath of fresh 
air and a sense of joy and exhilaration, and while sports of every nature are indulged in 
to some extent among women of to-day, the sport that rises to every occasion and sur- 
passes all, is trapshooting. This grand sport is a stimulating tonic to the mentality of 
both sexes as they meet on the score, and it is a sedative to the whole system when the 
friendly rivalry is over. 

Many women who are at first urged to go into this great game do so to please their 
husbands. Some go into it because they do not wish to display their timidity; others 
because they wish to be really progressive and do not wish to be outrivaled by a trap- 
shooting sister. While they may take up trapshooting for one or more of these reasons, 
it is a vastly different motive that keeps them there. Once tried, firmly established. A 
good slogan and an appropriate one. 



MRS. PEPPLE 



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PAGE THlRfY-THREE 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 




MRS. AD. TOPPERWEIN ON THE FIRING LINE 



Imagine, if you will, an ideal day in early autumn; October, say, when the trees in 
the club house grounds are turning to molten gold and tawny brown against a hazy Indian 
summer sky and the golden rod is flaunting its feathery head on a lazy breeze. This is 
the time when the call comes softest but most insistent. 

And all nature lures just as appealingly to the woman as to the man. What if the dishes 

do go unwashed for once? What 

if the beds are thrown back to 

air instead of being made? Take 

heed of that call and go along 

with your husband to the traps 

and you will find in the end that 

it has been a day well spent. 

You meet the boys there, and 

the girls, too; for woman dear is 

coming into her own and once on 

the score you slip in a shell, a 

little timidly perhaps, at first, 

but as you lift the gun to your 

shoulder 

The nerve is calm and steady 

The heart is brimming full 
As with finger on the trigger 

You give the signal — "pull!" 

And you break it, too — a square, 

center shot. The little lady in 

the gray sweater is next on deck; 

she's been there before, and that 

the education has been beneficial 

no one can doubt by glancing at 

the bright eyes and tanned cheeks. 

As she steps forth in a firm, 

MISS LOTTIE M. JOHN- business-like way, throws her gun MISS JESSIE THORPE, 

STONE, KENMARE. into position, and bends slightly MT. VERNON, N. Y. 

N. DAK. forward, 





PAGE THIRTY-FOUR 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



There's a throbbing at the temples, 

A sparkle in the eye 
And life is rainbow colored 

When the discs begin to fly. 



In every throb of the temple, some little nerve is being nourished by the life-giving 
stream of vitality that is being pumped through the system; in every pull of the trigger, 
in every action of the lever, some muscle is strengthened. With the strengthening of nerve 
and muscle, comes a strengthening and clearing of the vision, and 



ii-;:^ 



You'll find your skill maturing 
As your nerves have stronger grown, 

For 'tis called "the sport alluring" 
By the women who've been shown. 



So gradually the men step back and out and more ladies step in until before we are 
aware of it a squad is formed. 

Do you realize that in one squad of women is the foundation for the betterment of 
the human race? It has been said that the presence of ladies at the traps has a refining 
influence over the shooters of the sterner sex. It would seem that in any event from a 
physical viewpoint, that all male trapshooters are gentlemen. A trapshooter is proud 
of his scores and goes in to win; therefore, he does not indulge in strong drink, for intoxi- 
cants tear down the physical body. For this same resaon a woman should make good at 
targets, as her strength is not depleted through even a moderate use of alcoholic beverages. 
A trapshooter never indulges in profane language; it is too excitable, and besides you will 
generally find him a good loser. For this same reason, a lady might learn the control of 
a hasty temper, which, of course, is an element seldom found in the make-up of a lady. 

Aside from the foregoing reasons showing why women who have taken up trapshooting 
are far happier and healthier than their society-mad or their stay-at-home sisters, is the 
new comradeship that is formed between husband and wife, brother and sister, daughter 
and father, as the case may be. And it is a good place for the children, too; bring the 
boys and girls, the more the merrier, and encourage them to follow your example. 

By making trapshooting the initial step toward strengthening mind and body, women 
may fire another shot that will be heard and recognized as the "of)ening gun" of a cam- 
paign for a better, stronger, healthier and more influential race. 



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MRS. ALICE CLAGGETT, BEACH, N. DAK. 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



4 

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TRAPSHOOTING FROM A WOMAN'S 
VIEWPOINT 

By NETTIE B. SHATTUCK, Plattsburg, N. Y. 

Last summer, while at the Wardner Farm, nearly 2,000 feet above sea level, in the 
Adirondacks, it was the writer's pleasure to meet a charming young married woman from 
New Jersey. 

One bright, clear day we made a journey to the top of a mountain just back of the 
Wardner home. After enjoying the distant view of woods and water for a time, my com- 
panion turned to me and said, "I am very anxious that you should tell me more about 
trapshooting. When you were showing us the other day, the pictures of various women and 
men shooters whom you have met, and telling of your delightful trips I did not ask many 
questions though I was intensely interested for the reason that hubby is very desirous 
of having me join him in the best sport on earth, as he calls trapshooting." 



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SHOOTING AT THE PLATTSBURG. N. Y.. GUN CLUB 



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Inadvertently we paused near an old stone fence; as we did so, I said: "Let us sit 
upon this wall while we talk. I am always willing to assist anyone to become a convert 
to the 'sport alluring' if possible, and to present a bird's-eye view of the field of trapshooting 
as I see it. A better view of same can never be obtained than from this vantage point." 

"Now take these field glasses that you may better see the panorama of traps spread 
out before us on that long, level stretch of meadow far down the mountain side." 

"What do you mean?" she questioned. "I do not see any traps there." 

"Wait and you will see them as I intend you shall," I replied. "Look closely and 
you will see seven sets of traps installed upon a part of this huge stage with its beautiful 
settings and rare scenery executed by an artist who knows no peer. The artist. Nature, 
is closely allied to the shooter through the entire journey, from start to finish." 

"Oh, how interesting!" she exclaimed, looking through the glasses as I called her 
attention to trap No. 1, called "Courage." "After you once decide to shoot," I went on, 
"the positive quality 'Courage' is quickly brought into action by trsdng to handle the 
gun and so familiarizing yourself with it that all fear is eliminated. When you have once 
overcome this bug-a-boo you will master the situation, and through determined persever- 
ance, be able to stand at the firing line with others just as determined as yourself to find 
out what the sport has to offer them." 

"Do you really think I can ever do that?" doubtingly asked my companion. 
" Yes. and much more, for I have only made a beginning of what you are going to do. 
'Quick Judgment' is cultivated at No. 2 trap. The wind is blowing in gusts; the targets 




PAGE THIRTY-SIX 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



are erratic; your tube skirt catches all the wind it can; the short hairs around your face 
are determined to tickle your nose and stick in your eyes, but you are standing at the 
score and it is your turn to shoot. Just as you call PULL! a gust of wind strikes you, also 
the helpless target. It is up to you to judge instantly which way the target is flying, the 
necessary lead, the speed and height of the wary saucer, and the drift of the shot in the 
wind." 

"She who hesitates is lost then?" quoted my listener. 

"Yes, time and targets wait for no man," I too quoted. 

"At trap No. 3 we find 'Muscular Development.' Constant practice has resulted 
in a firm position, a steady gun and a surer aim. 'Endurance' closely follows at trap No. 4. 
There you are among a sturdy, weather-beaten, but happy bunch of gunners. Lily-white 
complexions and alabaster brows have taken on the much-desired coat of tan which marks 
the up-to-date woman as one who has learned to love the great out-of-doors and its many 
pleasures. She is one who can juggle with the temperamental spells of the weather man 
and laughingly scorning his attempts at discomfiture because she has learned endurance 
in its broadest sense. At trap No. 5, we find 'G)nfidence' is making better shooters of 
every one and unalloyed enjoyment in the game is being experienced. And 'G)nfidence' 
fortified by the previous positive qualities is the harbinger of 'Ability,' which we find at 
trap No. 6." 

"Now you cue at the pinnacle of success. How 1 long to introduce you to the group 
of shooters in this stage. They are legion and are found in all parts of Uncle Stim's domain. 
A more genuine, charitable, and good-natured fraternity would be hard to find. I could 
dwell for hours upon their virtues and victories, but we must hurry on." 

"0 dear!" sighed my companion, who had not spoken for some time, "I wish we did 
not have to go so fast. I want to get acquainted with these gun lovers and hear more 
about every stage of this subject, the purport of which I had no conception, for I never 
thought so much could develop from learning to handle a gun." 

"Now turn the glasses upon trap No. 7," I continued. "There we find 'Longevity.' 
That is the sum and substance of all the rest." 

"I wonder how long it will take me to learn to shoot," she said half to herself; "it 
does not matter anyway. I have firmly resolved to try it out, to see what I can do in 
spite of the fact that I am scared to death even to look at a gun, much less to handle one. 
But I shall commence as you say you did, by practicing in the house before appearing at 
the traps." 

"The desire to participate in this sport is 
awakened and I feel sure the rest will soon fol- 
low. I intend it shall, that I may become a closer 
companion for hubby, who loves the gun and the 
life in the great out-of-doors. I can better un- 
derstand, since hearing you tell the other day of 
your various happy trips, why it is as much my 
duty for his sake to accompany hubby on his ex- 
peditions to the traps and learn of the alluring 
attractions as it is for him to accompany me to 
a bridge party when the game is such a bore to 
him." 

"Reciprocity," I interposed, "is as often a 
solution to a home problem as it is for a political 
proposition." 



Sisters Are Enthusiastic 



Among the members of the Nemours 
Trapshooting Club are the Misses 
Gentieu. They are enthusiastic trap- 
shooters as may be learned by reading 
excerpts from the contribution of Jessie 
A. Gentieu. 










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MISS GENTIEU IS AN ARDENT 
DEVOTEE OF THE TRAPS 



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PAGE THIRTY-SEVEN 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



"Beth, next week I'm going out to that gun club and shoot. If I can play tennis 
and shoot a rifle, I can shoot a shotgun." 

"Well," observed her sister Elizabeth, seated upon a couch with a book open at 
an interesting page, "if you've decided to go, I haven't any doubt about your being 
able to do it." 

"You needn't laugh, Beth. When we lived in the country, I killed a blackbird in 
a tree top with a rifle. If those girls I've read about in the evening paper can shoot 
with a shotgun, I can." 

"Yes, my dear, you can — and what's more, I'm going to, too." 

"Good!" exclaimed "Bobby." "How glad I am that you are going. Next Wednes- 
day out we go to the traps." 

With four other "Dianas" Miss "Bobby" formed a squad at the practice shoot of 
the Nemours Club on the following Wednesday. Miss "Beth" was a trifle diffident and 
was content to occupy a chair in the "gallery" — the place reserved for spectators at the 
gun club. 

"Bobby's" story proceeds: "Pull!" I called. The pigeon floated gracefully from the 
trap. 'Bang!' from my gun, but — the pigeon fell unharmed to the grass. Again the 
second 'bird' escaped. The third attempt resulted in a broken 'bird.' My sister Beth 
was jubilant and so was I, as I was the first in the squad to score. 



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THE DEBUT OF THE SISTERS AT THE TRAPS 



"Beth was all excitement and intensely anxious to equal my record. The second 
trial was marked by a round of applause, denoting that she had succeeded in breaking her 
first target. Our success must have affected our accuracy for neither of us broke any more 
in our first round. I tried later and broke three out of ten — demonstrating that I could 
shoot with a shotgun. 

"Determination is our 'long suit.' Beth and I both decided we'd shoot next time. 
'Isn't it great sport?' exclaimed Beth as we were talking over our shooting experiences. 
'Yes,' I said, 'It's just what you need — you ought to be out-of-doors more — you stay in 
too much.' 

" 'I think you're right, I believe trapshooting is good for headaches, too — mine's all 
gone now,' was my sister's admission that our afternoon had been as much a source of 
relief as it was of pleasure. 

"When we finished shooting the following Wednesday, imagine my elation when 
the score announced I'd broken seven out of the twenty-five targets, thereby leading all 
in the beginners' class. Beth was not quite as successful, but her record of five only made 
her more determined and she is sure she can make a better score next time we shoot. Beth 
is fully aroused now, and I must not relax or she will surely come out ahead." 

The entrance of the Misses Gentieu into trap shooting was hastened 
by the efficient publicity work carried on by the Nemours Club. All 



^ 



PAGE THIRTY-EIGHT 



I 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



shoots and items relating to the club's progress are carefully followed 
and the local papers and sporting journals are glad to give space for the 
publication of such interesting and decidedly novel items about a recrea- 
tion so ideal for both men and women readers. 



Trapshooting Saves Doctor's Bills 

Western Pennsylvania is a trapshooting 
stronghold. In fact, the entire State of Penn- 
sylvania is noted for the activity of its trap- 
shooting citizens. Amongst the ardent supporters 
of the sport is Mrs. Frank Gallagher, of Turtle 
Creek, Pennsylvania. 

Mrs. Gallagher, like other women, has 
found the "sport alluring" not only a 
source of pleasure but a means of acquiring 
good health. Her physician prescribed 
outdoor exercise and conse- 
quently trapshooting came up 
for consideration as she and 
Mr. Gallagher were returning from the doctor's 
office. 

Mrs. Gallagher, in her article "Why I 
Took Up Trapshooting," gives information 
which is of value to those contemplating 
becoming active in the exhilarating pastime 
of clay target shooting. 

"I hesitated," she writes, "on the proposition at 
\/iDC CD A Mir r M 1 \nuvu '^"^ through fear of firearms. By persuasion and dem- 
MKo. rKANK. uALLAuHLK onstration, my husband overcame my timidity. He 
taught me the correct way to hold my gun to overcome 
quite all of the recoil or 'kick.' Next, he had me swing my gun at various figures upon 
the wall paper in the rooms; then we went out in the yard where I pointed the gun at vari- 
ous cards tacked on posts. These were very helpful exercise, as they accustomed me to 
swing the gun barrel quickly from point to point. Later, when taking my first lesson at 
the traps, I was surprised at the way I could follow the target as it left the trap. 

"Shooting at tin cans in the open field proved beneficial, as I gained some accuracy 
by this kind of practice. 

"My first actual 'clay bird' shooting occurred at the East Pittsburgh Gun Club. 
If I remember correctly, my score showed six out of twenty- five broken. I did make an 
important discovery — that I must find some way to lessen the effect of recoil. After mak- 
ing a few trials and noting the position of gun and the extension of my arm, I found that 
a very comfortable position was obtained when I followed this procedure. Lean forward 
to bring weight of body upon left foot which is placed a short distance in front of the right; 
the heel of right foot is raised slightly and the recoil of gun against the shoulder tends to 
force the lifted heel to the ground — something like the action of a cushion; my left arm 
is held quite straight and rigid, and well out toward the muzzle or end of gun. This com- 
bined straight arm — raised heel jDosition has been a most satisfactory one in my case. 

" I recommend that women use the three dram or twenty-four grains load of powder. 
This is ample and heavier loads mean more 'kick' — which you do not want. 

"Observe how other shooters handle their gun. Select some one who is about your 
size and you will be able to profit considerably by such watching. Ask questions about 
what you want to know. Trapshooters are the most obliging of sportsmen. They are 
especially glad to show new shooters. 'Stage fright' soon vanishes after you've broken 



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PAGE THIRTY-NINE 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 






a few 'clays* — confidence grows stronger as your scores im- 
prove. 

"A word of assurance as to the deportment at the gun 
club. No woman need have any hesitancy about entering 
trapshooting through fear of meeting those who are deficient 
in those qualities which every gentleman possesses." 

lowan Woman a Good Shot 

To break 134 out of 200 clay targets the first 
time one appears in a prominent gun club tourna- 
ment is certainly a feat of which any trapshooter 
might well feel proud. Guernsey, Iowa, has the 
distinction of claiming Mrs. J. W. Dobbins as one 
of its "citizens" whose marksmanship was one of 
the leading features of Chicago Gun Club's Grand 
Chicago Handicap of June, 1913. 

Quoting from Mrs. Dobbin's article, 
"Why I Like Trapshooting," it is apparent 
that she finds it a recreation capable of 
affording enjoyment without incurring dis- 
MRS. J. W. DOBBINS quieting effects. 

"I always had a tender spot in my heart for the birds and animals — especially so if 
my shot only crippled them. Still targets are monotonous at best. But in trapshooting, 
one finds in the swift-flying, elusive target all that she desires to make shooting exciting 
and entirely free from disturbing thoughts of 'killing' the clay bird. 











ENTRANCE TO GROUNDS OF CHICAGO GUN CLUB 






PAGE FORTY 




DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



"Trapshooting is not just a man's sport — it is for women, too. Once she becomes 
proficient in handling her gun she has gained something of which she may well feel proud. 

"An afternoon at the gun club in company with my husband gives so much pleasure 
and the associations are so congenial that I never feel that I'm doing something that is 
unbecoming to a woman. 

"I broke the first target I ever shot at and then became somewhat doubtful of be- 
coming a good shot when I failed to break any of the fifty targets thrown. At a practice 
shoot a little later, I hit three out of ten, and my confidence was restored. Then I was 
more anxious to try again. 

"My husband coached me carefully, and my shooting continued to improve. During 
the instruction, I particularly noted the manner the targets soared, and how to point the 
gun so the shot would intercept the 'day' bird. I learned, too, that practice, steady nerves 
and self-control were the three things needful in gaining expertness at the traps. 

"Last Thanksgiving Day (1912), was my first competition shoot. In this contest 
were many trained shooters and I was quite proud of my efforts when the score sheet showed 
I'd broken forty-nine out of sixty-five targets composing the event." 

In Mrs. Dobbins' case is to be found what is typical of trapshooting 
— the fascination of the sport, the delight of being able to break the 
elusive "clays" and the gradual but positive improvement in shooting 
followed by a creditable performance in competitive events. 



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\dvice of a St, Lou^ 

HE shotgun has its champions in St. Louis as well as in other cities. 
Amongst its ardent supporters may be named Mrs. Burrows, of 
St. Louis, Mo., who, with her husband, have demonstrated that 
trapshooting is a pastime applicable 

to both sexes. 

Mrs. Burrows gives as her reason for 

becoming active in the "sport alluring" 

the desire to participate in a recreation 

which gave her husband so much enjoy- 
ment and was such a benefit physically. 

Quoting from her article — "Trapshooting 

from a Woman's Viewpoint" — we find 

these allusions to advantages it offers: 

I was soon initiated into the game, and soon 
acquired that sense of fascination which is quite 
beyond explanation, yet grips you and holds your 
interest until you become a good shot. When one 
meets with a whole-souled welcome and everyone is 
so willing to explain and demonstrate the fine points 
of trapshooting, why should one's enthusiasm wane ? 

The pleasure I have received and the physical 
benefit derived from participating in the sport is so 
positive that I would advise women to become 
trapshooters. 

To such who wish to enter this most fascinating 
of outdoor diversions, I would suggest: 

1st. That you give especial heed to holding 
the gun properly. The expectant "kick" is much 
reduced — in fact scarcely noticed — if one's gun fits 
them, and they are particular to hold it correctly. a/idc ciiDDnw/c 

2d. Use light loads of powder — three drams TniiTC ic a CTAiiNiru 

is sufficient, and a fraction more is quickly apparent Or oi. LOUlo lb A blAUNCH 
and recoil is then noticeable. FRIEND OF TRAPSHOOTING 




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PAGE FORTY. ONE 



o 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 






3d. When possible, shoot with other beginners, or at least with those who are not 
capable of breaking numerous targets while you are "shooting holes in the air." 

4th. Concentrate your mind upon your shooting. Forget the presence, if possible, 
of the next shooter. 

5th. Be careful to maintain a good shooting position. Follow the instructions of 
the coach. Be determined and you'll soon surprise yourself and your friends with your 
good shooting. 

In all my experiences as a trapshooter, I have never received any but the most cour- 
teous treatment. That trapshooting is a recreation suited to women, I firmly believe. 
Their presence at the traps will raise the sport to a still higher plane and increase the interest 
in it at the same time. 




TRAPSHOOTING A PANACEA FOR "NERVES" 

By MRS. J. H. MARTIN, Wilmington. Del. 

NE of many interesting facts gleaned from Mrs. J. H. Martin's 
" Viewpoints of a Woman Trapshooter" is that she discovered 
that the sport was having a very beneficial effect upon the nerves 
of an acquaintance who was also an active member of the club. 
"Nerves and neuralgia are no longer troubling me since I've learned 
to shoot. While I do not make good scores," she admitted to me as we 
sat under the shade of a big oak close to the firing liiie, " I feel that 
I've spent my money to very good advantage." 

"My first trapshooting," Mrs, Martin says, "was soon after the Eastern Handicap 
occurred in Wilmington. Watching the shooters in this event made me desirous of learn- 
ing how to shoot. A young lady of the Nemours Trapshooting Club gave me such an 
urgent invitation to attend a shoot that I was glad to accept it. The next Wednesday 
afternoon found me at the gun club. In the office I noticed a placard. On it I read that 
guns were available for visitors. One of the instructors kindly showed me the various 
styles and suggested which one would be best for me to use. 

"With gun selected and box of shells purchased, Iwas ready for my first lesson in 
trapshooting. I confess I had some misgivings as I stood there and realized that I was 
actually going to load and (ire a gun at a clay target. After being told how to place the 
gun to the shoulder, point its muzzle at the center of trap-house, call for the target and 
follow its flight and pull the trigger just as target and muzzle were about to align them- 
selves, I was ready for the first shot. Did I hit it? Well, hardly, nor the next one either. 



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CAREFUL INSTRUCTION MAKES TRAPSHOOTING EASY TO LEARN 




OiQ 



PAGE FORTY-TWO 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



But I was all persistence and after several trials broke my first 'clay bird.' A few moments 
later another one was broken. I found at the close of the round that I'd hit two out of 
nineteen. 

"Looking over the scores of others, I found one where my 'nervous' associate had 
broken four — an indication that my own might not be quite as well controlled as I had 
believed. 

"Our gun club is located in a most charming spot. Wide stretches of grass-covered 
fields, gently sloping hills beyond the traps, uneven tree lines against the blue sky on either 
side and at its back, the Brandywine flows between picturesque and historic banks. 

"With such pleasant surroundings, congenial companions, painstaking instructors 
and the fascination of trapshooting, why should such an environment be other than nerve- 
soothing? " 

TRAPSHOOTING FROM A WOMAN'S 
VIEWPOINT 

By MRS. J. FRED EBRIGHT, El Dorado, Ga. 

" There are a lot of women who couldn't tell a blue-rock from the Dodo bird that Alice 
met in Wonderland. 

I am sorry for these women. I feel sure they don't know what they are missing or they 
would familiarize themselves with the fascinating game of trapshooting. 

Mrs. Sportsman, if your husband is a gun-lover and spends every holiday at the traps, 
don't begrudge him hiis hard-earned recreation; and don't stay at home bewailing his 
absence. Be a sport, tool Come along and see for yourself if it isn't really "the sport 
alluring." 

That has always been my policy. I've gone along. I've carried a gun all day in the 
woods. I've climbed over mountains, waded streams and fought my way through green 
brier thickets. On frosty mornings, I've bagged squirrels with hands so numb with cold 
I could scarcely break the gun to reload. 

In the "bush" of North Ontario I've slept all night on the ground, rolled in a blanket, 
while the rain pelted down. For two night*. I slept alone in a canvas tent while Comrade 
and the guide were off on a moose hunt. 

Through all the hardships of hunting I stuck to it, for I liked to shoot and I wanted 
to be "game." 

But some things I couldn't get used to. Chief of these was the killing I There is a 



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MRS. EBRIGHT SHOOTING IN A SQUAD 



PAGE FORTY-THREE 



DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



joy and zest in shooting to hit. But when you do hitl When the little, warm, furred or 
feathered creature is lying lifeless at your feet, never more to scamper or wing through 
the brown woods — what woman could but feel herself a coward and a criminal? 

Another thing was the costume! Years of experience have taught me that the only 
fit costume to hunt in is a hideous cross between a mummer's and a suffragette's outfit! 
You've got to wear a man's coat and a vest loaded with a back-breaking weight of shells; 
and a skirt so short it shouts! And how are you going to sneak past scandalized persons, 
on your way to trolley or train, for a day's hunt, if the shoes you wear are stout and heavy 
enough to resist the rough going in the woods? 

But now! Well, all that is changed! Comrade has joined a trapshooters' club lately 
organized in our city and now we are both "having the time of our lives." 

Now we board a car at our door and a ten-minutes' ride brings us to the Country 
Club grounds — one of the greenest, breeziest spots on the outskirts of town. And then 
the fun begins! 

Everything is up-to-date. The traps are of the best, the field where the targets are 
thrown is faultless and the friendly rivalry of the club members keeps up a keen interest. 

The meets on Saturdays and holidays draw good crowds, but most of all I enjoy the 
informal little mid-week, evening shoots. There, with just a few squads at the trap the 
spirit of intimate companionship prevails. And when it grows too dark to longer follow 
the flight of the elusive blue-rock, we sit about on the cool piazza of the club house and chat 
awhile, watching the night close in and the city lights come out of the dusk in the distance. 

How we enjoy these evenings! I wish I could enthuse more women to take up the 
pleasures of trapshooting, along with their "good men." There is everything to recom- 
mend the sport, nothing to condemn it. 

There is no fatigue, no killing, no need to wear cumbrous or unbecoming clothes, 
as when one hunts. 

Indeed, you can wear your prettiest and daintiest. A soft linen pad to slip over the 
gun stock would protect your shoulder from any chance grease. 

The wife of every shooting man ought to own a gun and know how to use it. 

The woman who spends an afternoon or evening each week in line at the traps, with 
her husband, trying to smash winged saucers, will go back home far happier and more 
refreshed than by moping indoors and censuring him for going off alone to his "old gun 
club." 

Learning to shoot may seem hard at first. I know I got a sorely bruised shoulder 
more than once. But in this old world does anything really enjoyable come "dead easy"? 

Nowadays one can get well-padded shooting jackets that resist almost all the "kick" 
there is coming from the gun. I have found, too, that a regulation 12-gauge gun kicks 
less and shoots better at the traps than a lighter weight 20-gauge. 

Stick to it, and learn. Then the joy you will experience, the pride he will express when 
you begin to break targets, is going to more than compensate for the learning how. 

One good feature of the sport is, you will get all the credit that is due you. 

Some people don't take your word for it that all the furred and feathered trophies 
you bring from the hunt were bagged by you. 

At the traps, the eye, the referee, the score board tells what you do. 

So you women whose husbands participate in trap shoots, see to it that in future 
you go, too. 

And it isn't only the married women who ought to take up shooting. 

Let me hint to the young girl whose brother shoots, that at the trap she will meet 
some of the finest men in the country. 

Gunning is the cleanest of sports and a good gunner must be a steady fellow. He 
is accurate and clever; invariably he is good-natured and reliable. And, take it from 
me, he makes the best husband in the world." 

TRAPSHOOTING AS A FAMILY SPORT 

By MRS. C. F. LASS, Grand Junction, Colorado 

" I can think of nothing more entertaining than to take my husband, two children, 
guns and a good lunch, with a big beefsteak to broil over the coals, and hie ourselves off 
to the nearby mountains for a day's shoot. 

In our buggy is stowed away the finest of spring tonics — Du Pont powder — not to 
be taken internally, but in our shells — "Ballistite" in our shotgun and "Lesmok" in our 
22-calibre rifie. 



PAGE FORTY-FOUR 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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Wouldn't you like to go with us and gather up a few tin cans as you go? It is great 
fun throwing them up in the air and trying to hit once or twice with your shotgun before 
they reach the ground. 

Now for the 22-calibre. Put a tin can in a convenient place, step back 50 feet and 
fire. After a few hits, step back again another 50 feet, and so on until you are about 200 
yards away. Now you are getting down to real good shooting if you hit the can one in 
five shots. About as good as the famous (?) Kentucky long shooters. After an hour or 
two of fun you have forgotten all about that headache and the symptoms of "spring fever." 

Trapshooting is by far the most enjoyable, but 
usually it can be done only on regular shooting days. 
Or if you cannot work up interest in a regular club, 
start a "tin can club." I assure you after a few shoots 
you will have no trouble in getting a regular gun club 
started. 

I shall always remember the first clay pigeon I 
shot at. I simply pulverized it and thought it was 
very easy, but since then I have missed many times. 

We do not exclude our children from this sport, 
but each takes his turn. Our boy of 1 2 years is getting 
to be quite a shot, while our little girl of seven summers 
is doing her part to demonstrate Du Pont powder. 
We believe in " training them up in the way they should 

8°-" 

I own a high-grade double barrel, single trigger 

gun, built to special order, a 22 Stevens Favorite, with 

stock made to fit me, and a 22-calibre "S. W." target 

pistol, 6-inch barrel. The manufacturers would not 

recommend anything but black powder to be used in 

this pistol, but I use Du Pont "Lesmok" and it is by 

far the best and most accurate. The pistol is much 

easier cleaned after shooting and does not cake at the 

muzzle. 

I will say again that Du Pont powder is the best 
prescription any specialist could prescribe for that 
"tired feeling" taken as above directed. 

Now we are ready for that beefsteak, and if your 
husband doesn't say that it is the best dinner he ever 
tasted I miss my guess." 




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MRS. C. F. LASS 



TRAPSHOOTING FROM A WOMAN'S 
VIEWPOINT 



By MRS. ANDREW J. REBER, Crafton, Pittsburgh, Pa. 

" I have been on several hunting trips with my husband, but of all the sports with a 
gun, trapshooting is, to my mind, the greatest of them all. Perhaps it is because it does 
not necessitate the killing of anything. 

There are some women who know so little about any sport of this kind that the mere 
mention of a gun to them means to kill something. To illustrate: I was talking to a cer- 
tain lady one day about trapshooting, trying to interest her in the sport. She looked at 
me awhile with a vacant stare and then said blandly: "What do you do with them — 
make pot pie?" 

The very first thing to learn is to hold your gun properly. 

Many women shooting a shotgun for the first time hold it loosely and thereby receive 
a shock which ends then and there their shooting for all time. 

Don't shoot creunped up. Take an easy, natural position. Hold your gun firmly 
against your shoulder, with the left arm extended well along the barrels. I always extend 
the left foot a little, too, and lean slightly forward. The tighter you hold the gun to your 
shoulder the less you will feel the recoil. Even if it does kick a little; don't mind it. All 
strenuous sports have their ill-effects until the muscles become accustomed to the exercise. 



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PAGE FORTY-FIVE 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



5^§!3 







MRS. REBER AWAITING HER TURN 



Most of the professional shots, so I have read, shoot with both eyes open, and no 
doubt it is the best way. It is more natural to close one eye when I sight along the barrels 
of a gun. I have not yet learned to shoot with both eyes open. Some good advice given 
me was this: To forget you have a gun in your hands and imagine it is a hose and that 
you wish to hit the object with a stream of water. A good way to learn to hit them is to 
have some good experienced shooter stand behind you when you shoot and tell you your 
faults — whether you shoot too high or too low, etc. 

But the real secret, I believe, in breaking the birds is in shooting quickly. To wait, 
in my experience, has always meant a sure miss. By this I do not mean to shoot before 
you get a sight of the "bird," but fire the minute you see it spinning on the end of the 
barrels, as it were. An exact aim is not necessary, for the spread of the shot allows for 
some inaccuracy of aim. 

At first, I always used a 16-gauge gun at the trap, but I have found that I can do 
better with a 12-gauge. One does not feel the recoil so much with the heavy gun as with 
a lighter one, and as the 1 2-gauge shell contains more shot than the 1 6, you have a greater 
chance to break the "bird." 

I shall never forget my first experience at the trap. It was on a Fourth of July. My 
husband and I had gone to the country to spend the day with some friends. When we 
arrived there we found the men were indulging in a trap shoot, which delighted my hus- 
band. This gave him the chance he had been waiting for to get me to shoot. They finally 
persuaded me to try it. 

I took my position with the gun and said: "Pull!" No sooner were the words out 
of my mouth than a grey streak shot across the sky. I closed both eyes and pulled the 
trigger. As you may imagine, I was almost kicked over. When I finally got over the 
blow, the first thing I asked was: "Did I hit it?" The crowd gave me such a merry laugh 
that I decided I would hit one before I quit. So for the next twenty-five I took my place 
with the shooters and kept at it. 

Every time I fired the gun I learned something more about it — how to hold it, how 
to sight, and so on. I received plenty of coaching from the men, also plenty of kicks on 
the gun's part. 

When just about to give up in despair, I broke a "bird" with, I think, about the six- 
teenth shell. I did not finish the twenty-five, but quit a happy woman, but with a sore 
shoulder. 

On arriving home that day, I found that the lace design of the waist I wore was im- 
printed on my shoulder in black and blue. But knowing that I had conquered and broken 
that one "bird" eased the pain a lot. After that I was always ready when my husband 
would say, "Shall we go and shoot a few to-day?" 



PAGE FORTY-SIX 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



I was rather timid at first about going to a regular trap shoot. Almost invariably 
I would be the only woman, but the men were always so congenial and gentlemanly they 
made me feel perfectly at home, and seemed glad to have me try. 

We women need not aspire to be an expert shot or to vie with Annie Oakley. On 
the other hand, we need not be deterred from trapshooting by the critics who know nothing 
about it. Let us make our husbands happy by showing an interest in their pet hobbies. 
Perhaps there would be more happiness in the world if some of us did study our husbands' 
tastes a little more. Don't you think it would please them? 

If your husband is interested in this sport the next time he goes trapshooting, surprise 
him by going along. Even if it does bore you a little at first. You will be repaid when 
you see how much he appreciates your interest in it. You will soon learn to like it your- 
self, too. 

If he does not have a hobby get him interested in this one and go with him. Every 
man is better for a little recreation Jifter the busy day, and you could not find a cleaner 
sport than trapshooting." 



By MRS. 0. FREEL, Adelphia, Iowa 

" When my brothers joined the trapshooting ranks, I went along as I was curious 
to see them shoot at flying targets. I soon became very much interested in the sport. 
Watching the saucer-like targets rise from trap-house, then sail away like a bird, see the 
wind change their course — watch my brother "get a line" on the "bird" and note if his 
aim was good, I found myself eager to see if I could "smash" clay targets. But when the 
young men finished shooting and came to try to persuade me and the other girls to 
shoot, I couldn't quite get my courage up to the "sticking point." I continued to go to the 
shoots and each time I was asked I found myself wavering and almost inclined to yield to 
urgent invitations to "just try out one shot." 

Amongst the regular attendants at the shoots was one shooter whose success was 
particularly pleasing to me. His attempts to get me "on the firing line" were not success- 
ful until Dan Cupid appeared and played a very important part in my trapshooting career. 

One day 1 asked my husband to buy me a 1 6-gauge gun, and I would shoot over the 
traps. 

Standing on the mark and placing the gun to my shoulder, I was a little "scary" 
about pulling the trigger. "I'm 'fraid this is going to kick," I said to my husband, now 
standing back where he could look over my shoulder as I sighted the new gun. "That 
1 6-gauge won't kick with that little load of Du Pont powder," he replied by way of encour- 
agement. "Well, here goes," and then I called "Pull!" Yes, there was some "kick" 
and I lost the first "bird." The second shot smashed the sailing target, but the third was 
too quick and "ducked" and so I lost it. Number four was scattered all over the ground, 
but five was too much for me. "That's good work," complimented my instructing "hubby." 
"Those 'lost birds' were bad ones for even a Gilbert or Hoon to smash — those are the 
chaps who are the 'high guns' at the big tournaments," he added as we turned away from 
the "firing line." 

"Want to shoot some more?" he inquired. "Why, now that I've started I'd like 
to smash a few more," I replied. "That's the way to talk, I'll get the other twenty shells 
and we'll go after the 'birds' again," and he was soon back with the cartridges. This 
time I broke eight of the twenty targets — making ten out of the twenty-five "clay birds." 
"We won't shoot any more now. You've started in fine shape, but it will be just as well 
to wait a few days before shooting again," said my husband, as I fired my last shot and 
saw the pieces of clay going in many directions. 

A woman trapshooter was a big novelty and my shooting exp)erience was the "talk 
of the town." The men were very anxious to see me shoot, and soon persuaded me to 
come to the next shoot to be held within a few days. There were a good many neighbors 
present, including girls of all ages, who were curious to see how a woman acted while (hoot- 
ing a gun. 

Perhaps I was over-anxious or had "stage fright" — anyway, I could only break seven 
of the twenty-five targets thrown. "Too many visitors, I guess," said my coaching hus- 
band after my last shot. "Yes," I admitted, "I'm not used to shooting before so many 
people. I think of them and not my shooting." "Next time, we won't have any com- 



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DIANA OF THE TRAPS 



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pany — you'll do better then," were his assuring words as we joined the neighbors. Men, 
women and girls praised my shooting and some of the younger women were quite sure 
they could do almost as well. 

"This is a good day to shoot, and if you'll get ready, we'll go over to the trap this 
cifternoon and have another try at target-smashing," said my enthusiastic trapshooter. 
"That will be fine," I agreed, "and I feel like shooting and believe I will do better this 
afternoon than at any other shoot." 

"Here we are, and not a soul but the trap boy to scare you," was his remark as we 
took our place at the 1 6-yard mark back of the trap. " Now remember what you said this 
morning about making a record this afternoon," was the reminder as he gave me the gun. 
"There's no breeze, and the sky is just right to shoot against — you ought to get a good 
many 'dead' ones out of fifty," was what I heard as he looked along the gun barrel while 
I was pointing it at a corner of the trap house. "Pull! There's the first one," I exclaimed, 
as I saw clay falling to the grass. "Another's busted" I heard the trap boy call as the third 
one was hit." "Those two misses were caused by letting your target get too far away. 
Shoot quicker next time," was welcome instruction. "There! that's the way. That 
powder puts the speed back of the shot." "I've got a better idea of leading this after- 
noon, and perhaps that's why I'm doing better," I ventured to say. "That's where the 
secret is, and it is the 'fine figuring' of just where that scaling saucer is going to meet your 
shot that makes the game so fascinating," was the way my instructor stated the "big 
thing" about trapshooting. "You're getting about one out of three," observed the coach- 
ing husband, as my fortieth shot counted in my favor. "That's doing well," he hastily 
added, to encourage me as I missed the next one. "I've got to get the next three to do 
that," I said, looking at the score on the shell-box. "Good! that's the stuff," sounded 
very good to me as I broke another "bird." "Look out for your leading — there, that is 
better — only one more now and you have your sixteen," were words of caution and encour- 
agement which greeted my ears when my gun was ready for the last shot. 

"Pull!" I called. "Sixteen and victory," I excitedly cried, as the pulverized target 
scattered in mid-air and sank out of sight a few seconds later. 

Since that afternoon I have gone to many shoots and made some very good scores — 
in one shoot I lost only twenty-six out of my hundred targets. 

In all my experiences amongst shooters, I have never received any but the most cour- 
teous treatment. I have found the men ever ready to offer hints as to shooting, and most 
obliging in doing little acts which made the shooting more pleasant. Their encouraging 
words and notice of my scores have helped greatly in holding my interest in the sport. 
No woman need hesitate to try trapshooting for fear of meeting contestants whose con- 
duct at the traps or about the club house is open to criticism. 

In closing, I urge women to become shooters, as it will require their going out-of- 
doors, mingling with live people, furnish them with a new and fascinating form of recrea- 
tion, give them an entirely different "nerve tonic," add to their accomplishments, and 
make trapshooting more generally known so it can become more and more the "sport 
alluring." 

WRITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 

If this booklet has aroused in your mind a desire to learn trapshooting and to Join or 
organize a \^onian's club, we will gladly assist you as per our offer on page 22. 

We hope you will give us the pleasure of introducing you to " The Sport Alluring," 
Trapshooting Department, Du Pont Powder Co., Wilmington, Del. 



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